The Arrival of Possibility
by ShadowFox197
Summary: Taking place 3 months after Possibility (another story of mine - I would recommend reading first), Marinette leaves for 10 days on a business trip to California. What happens in those days away from Adrien makes a rather pissy kitty cat. Sequel to Possibility; No superpowers AU; Life as Adults…Enjoy ;)
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:** First off, I feel the need to note that I ALMOST titled this story "The Arousal of Possibility," but I refraining, thinking that that might be too raunchy to be on the cover of this.

Not to say that the contents won't be…but for the sake of preserving the innocence of any children browsing…

Second of all, **THIS IS A SEQUEL TO "POSSIBILITY,** " another story of mine. I would recommend reading that story first so you get a sense of the character's relationship (and also what the hell is going on).

Third of all, to the people who have read "Possibility," and asked for more…HERE YA GO. You guys are so fabulous (gods really) that I have been struck with the lightning of inspiration and WALA!

SOMEWHAT IMPORTANT NOTE: _Italics_ are used to indicate a character's thoughts or emphasize a word/phrase. I write the narrating character's name in italics at the beginning of the passage (if the passage is from a specific character's point of view).

Please enjoy!

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 _3 months had passed since that fateful flight…_

"Adrien, it's hardly more than a week. _10 days_ ," Marinette said, holding up both hands - fingers extended - for emphasis. "You'll live."

"I'm going to be so bored," Adrien whined, tugging back on her sleeve in a futile gesture. "Can I do the cat thing where crawl into your suitcase-"

"Adrien, you're not that skinny." She snipped, rolling her eyes.

He pouted.

"Now let go of my sleeve. You're stretching it out," she shooed his hand away. "My flight leaves in an hour, but we both know that security is a bitch so I have to go-"

"-I know," he mumbled, hanging onto her fingers. He sighed. "I just wish you weren't going so far. I mean - California – _really?_ "

"It's for 'inspiration for the summer season,'" Marinette quoted. "I'm not the only designer going. There are dozens more."

"Yeah, but you're the most important," he gave a tight smile, squeezing her hand.

She gave him a small smile in return. "You'll live," she repeated, standing on her toes to kiss his cheek.

Then stepped back, pulling their lingering hands apart.

"Text me when you land!" He called, cheeks still warm from the kiss.

"At 3 am?" She shouted back, incredulous.

"Of course!" He smiled, watching her disappear into the crowd. "I'll be waiting…" he muttered to himself, hand dropping from the extended wave he'd given her. He looked on a moment longer, hoping for one last glimpse of his girlfriend.

But she was gone, immersed in the crowd of strangers.

 _She's be fine_ , he chided himself, forcing himself to turn back to the airport's entrance. _She's a strong girl…_

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

 _Marinette_

There was something oddly charming about listening to the man beside you wretch into a paper bag.

Of course, when this has been going on for nearly 10 minutes, it loses its charm.

Or perhaps it was never 'charming at all,' and she was just faking optimism for her own sanity.

 _This is fine_ , she seemed to be repeating to herself, fingers pinched over her nose. _He's done now_ -

 _Oh no he's not_ , apparently _._

She turned away again, finding it hard not to gag.

 _Why motion sickness?_ She looked skyward, deftly handing her neighboring passenger her own doggie bag.

This was going to be a loooooong flight…

XXXXXXXXXXXX

She arrived a little after 3 in the morning, the sky dark and misty. The skyscrapers were shrouded in fog, the red lights atop blinking lethargically.

She rubbed the sleep in her eyes, fighting the fatigue that gnawed at her limbs.

 _I just need to get to my hotel_ …she thought. _Then I can crash…_

The taxi ride and check-in was a blur, the English words thrown around her muffling her own thought process.

And then she was collapsed on the bed, shrouded in white softness and the blackness of the night.

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

Unfortunately for Marinette, she awoke no more than three hours later, the sunlight of dawn streaming in from the undrawn curtains.

 _Fuck_. She thought, mentally cursing her laziness the night before.

 _Well,_ she looked around herself, noting her suitcase parked just inside the room. _I feel oddly refreshed…I guess the nap on the plane did help._

She glanced at the clock beside the bed, resetting her wrist watch to match the time.

 _Oh shoot, I forgot to text Adrien_ , she grimaced, fishing out her phone from her purse.

It was dead, battery drained after a missed night of charging.

She groaned, plugging the device in and flopping back on the bed.

 _I might as well get up,_ she sighed. _It's the proper time to get up here anyway…_

Half grumbling to herself, she rolled out of bed, pulled on some clothes, and shoved her feet in a pair of sandals, determined to get a cup of coffee and a bite of fresh air.

Enriched by her coffee, she took a step outside the hotel, noticing for the first time the amazing proximity the hotel had to the beach. It was literally right across from the boardwalk!

 _I guess there are some perks to working at Agreste_ , she thought, a smile gracing her features.

She took a seat on the seawall, content with watching the waves and feeling the sea breeze in her hair.

Her eyes closed, she heard the faint pad of bare feet behind her, the early risers and surfers arriving.

She sighed, head lulling forward in relaxation.

"Marinette?" A voice broke in behind her.

She turned around, embarrassed to be caught dozing. There was a redhead carrying a surfboard, teal eyes wide with the morning light.

She stared, mouth going agape. _This guy knew her name? Who was-_

It hit her like a punch to the gut, the name leaving her lips in a wheeze.

"Nathanael?" She gasped in disbelief.

He nodded, mute but with a smile on his face.

Holy _fuck_ , when did he get abs?!

XXXXXXXXXXX

 **Author's Note:**

Ahahaha…

Alright, I'm sure you can tell that this story is going into the 'relationship drama' category.

Nathanael is going to be playing a more major role in this story, but Alya and perhaps Nino will appear again.

If you're asking 'why California?' - it's because it's awesome. And the land of stereotypically hot surfer men and women in bikinis. How sexy. And America is the 'land of opportunity.' End of story.

I hope you've enjoyed! I always appreciate feedback and comments!


	2. Chapter 2

Marinette blinked, realizing a moment too late that she'd zoned out staring at Nathanael's abs. _And perhaps a bit lower…_

She blushed scarlet, tumbling off the wall in possibly the most ungraceful action she'd ever attempted.

But Nathanael caught her, a strong arm steadying her.

His smile widened, and he set his surfboard against the sea wall, all the while maintaining eye contact. "It's been so long," he breathed. "How have you been Marinette? Are you still living in Paris?"

Her mouth was still open, the shock of seeing him _here_ of all places rendering her speechless.

"I - I've been great!" she finally said, hand reaching unconsciously to meddle with her hair. _Damn she hadn't even thought to brush it-_ "I, uh – actually just moved back to Paris a few months ago. I was living in New York for school…" she trailed off, staring at the black piercing in one of his ears. "How've you been?" She blurted, eyebrows knitting together. "I had no idea you lived here."  
"Yeah!" He exclaimed, hand scratching behind his neck. "What are the odds of seeing you here…" His eyes finally left hers, drifting to the waves. Suddenly he cleared his throat, seemingly remembering her question. "I moved here around 5 years ago…I uh, opened a custom board shop not too long ago. It's been doing pretty good," he shrugged.

"Oh!" Marinette exclaimed. "So you, like, paint custom boards for people?"

"Skateboards and surf boards," he clarified.

"Ah," her smile stretched wide, eyes drifting to his board. "And it seems you surf…?"

Nathanael chuckled softly, putting a hand on the tip of his board. "Yeah you could say that…I go out most mornings…"

"At 6 am?" She asked politely.

 _Is that fucking normal here?_

"Nah, this is a bit late for me," he shrugged.

 _Late?_ She internally shrieked _. What time do you get up!_

"I try to get my shop open by 7 in the mornings, but…" he glanced at the sunrise. "Evidently that's not going to happen today."

Marinette snorted, dismissing her earlier thoughts. "I guess that's a perk to being 'the boss.' You get to decide the hours."

Nathanael smiled back. "Yeah, I guess so." He gave a breathy sigh, leaning against his board. His hair was reflecting brightly in the sunlight. "I never thought I'd be running my own business, but…" he trailed off. "Life's good here in Cali."

He looked over to her, a soft smile on his lips. "What about you? Did you ever find that dream job you were drooling about in high school?"

He paused, seeing her expression freeze. "How about we get some coffee," he picked up his board. "You look about ready to collapse."

Marinette gave a breezy chuckle, face frozen in a smile. "Coffee sounds lovely," she said, following Nathanael down the boardwalk. _It had been so long…_

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"-well the conference was completely _boring_ ," Marinette rolled her eyes. "As expected. But," she began again, "I _did_ rather enjoy my lunch, which was a, uh…" she trailed off, chewing on her lip.

"Hang on a second," she muttered, unlocking her phone. "I made a note of it somewhere…"

"Take your time purrincess," Adrien chuckled, voice cracking over the Skype call.

"A California Burrito!" She declared, holding her phone in the air triumphantly. "It was a bit strange, to be honest." She put her phone to her lip. "There were French fries in it…"

"…French fries in a burrito?" Adrien asked, one eyebrow raising skeptically. "That honestly sounds disgusting."

"Well," Marinette sniffed. "To those of us who have _less refined_ tastes, unlike you model snobs, it was positively _delicious_."

"Eh," Adrien shifted on the bed, screen wobbling with his computer. "That still doesn't sound quite like my definition of 'delicious.'"

Marinette stuck her tongue out at him. His face suddenly stretched into a yawn, taking up nearly half the screen.

She chuckled. "Why do you keep yawning?" She asked. "You've yawned like at least twice in the last minute."

Adrien shifted his gaze to the screen, a subtle look of disbelief gracing his features.

"You do know that it's 9 hours later here, right?" Adrien grumbled, rubbing at his eyes.

Marinette's eyes widened, realization dawning on her. She chuckled nervously. "Oh, heh. I completely forgot, actually." Her eyebrows knit together suddenly. "Wait, are you telling me it's _3_ in the morning where you are?"

"Uhuh," Adrien nodded, giving her a flat glare.

"Why are you staying up so late!" She practically shrieked. "Go to bed, you idiot!"

"I wanted to see how your day went," Adrien smiled, sleepiness making it lopsided.

"That's-" Marinette hissed. "…so fucking sweet…" she trailed off. She glared at him, willing him to sleep with her eyes.

"Well," he said, one eye already closed. "If that's all for today, I actually wouldn't mind getting some sleep, Purrincess."

"Yes, please do," Marinette instantly agreed. "I'll make sure to call you earlier tomorrow," she said.

"Alright, have a lovely evening Purrincess," Adrien called. "I will chat with you soon."

"Bye," She said, blowing him a kiss.

He smiled, his face freezing for a moment before the call ended.

She sat there a little longer, staring at the screen.

"Oh shit," she said, fist hitting against her thigh. "I forgot to tell him I saw Nathanael…" she grumbled. "Oh well, I guess that'll have to wait until tomorrow."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

 **Author's Note** : Alright, so now Marinette's "dual" relationship has officially been set up! It is to my understanding that Nathanael and Marinette are old friends (they had their artist pen pal gig thing going back in high school) whereas Adrien wasn't a part of that…

As always, feedback and commentary are appreciated! I hope you enjoyed!

Oh, and in case you are not familiar: "Cali" is short for "California."


	3. Chapter 3

He was there, waiting for her the next morning, without a board (but with a shirt instead).

"Hi Nathanael," Marinette beamed, sauntering up to his silhouetted form. "How are you this morning?"

He turned to her, patting the wall beside him to prompt her to sit down. "I'm doing quite fine Ms. Marinette. How are you?"

"As fine as I can be," she sighed. "I have a conference in like an hour that is going to be deathly boring," she gaged. "But I should have the day free after that. What's there to sightsee around here?" She asked.

"Oh…" Nathanael blew air out of through his lips, humming lightly. "Tons of things, really. It just depends on what mood you're in."

"Mood?" She prompted.

"Well," he turned slightly more to her. "If you're going to a beach, you've gotta be in a more festive, adventurous mood, or else…" he trailed off, grimacing slightly.

"Why?" She laughed.

"Because everyone who lives here is incredibly fit and attractive," Nathanael deadpanned. "They'll make you feel bad before they even say anything."

Marinette smiled despite herself, gauging how much he was joking. "I'm going to assume you made that mistake when first coming here."

Nathanael nodded gravely, eyes narrowed at the sunrise.

"So that's why you're so fit and attractive now, huh?" Marinette nudged up against his shoulder, smiling in hopes of lifting his mood again.

He didn't smile, face frozen – staring fixed ahead instead.

 _Bad timing?_ – Marinette instantly doubted herself, biting her lip.

"-You think I'm attractive?" Nathanael asked hesitantly, a rueful smile worming onto his face.

Marinette gaped, eyes widening. "Uh," she started, stopped then started again. "Well, yeah," she finally said. "I mean, Cali life has certainly been treating you well," she gave a fake laugh, blushing.

He smiled at her, sidelong, looking at her like she really wished he wouldn't.

 _God, why had she left him?_

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

He bent down slightly so they were at eye level, taking one of her hands in his. She stopped walking, looking back to him to look inquisitively at their interlocked fingers.

He swallowed, willing his nerves to stop jittering.

 _She was leaving tomorrow –_

"Marinette," Adrien broke the silence, bringing her back to him with his eyes.

"Will you move in with me?" He swallowed, hesitant to break their eye contact.

Her lips parted slightly, eyes locked on his.

"You can think about it," Adrien continued, interrupting her speech. "While you're on your trip. I don't need you to decide right now. I just," he paused. "I just wanted you to know that it's an option. I know that you're looking for a place still. And I know your parents can drive you a little crazy too," he smiled despite his nerves, looking everywhere but her. He swallowed again, looking at the light behind her.

"Okay," she finally said. "I'll think about it," and she smiled slightly, making Adrien smile too.

Then their hands broke, Marinette taking the door handle to go inside her parent's bakery.

"I'll see you tomorrow morning," she said, blowing him a kiss.

"Y-yeah!" Adrien stuttered, hand still feeling warm. "I'll see you then…"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Hey Adrien do you remember Nathanael? He went to high school with us." Marinette asked, idly twirling the straw in her iced tea. _And I dated him for over a year…_

"No, I don't think I do," Adrien felt something prick behind his ear.

"Oh," She sounded a bit disappointed, but the emotion faded a moment later. "He runs a skate shop here now. His artwork is on every board too – you should see them," she nodded, beaming. "They're amazing, really."

"Oh, cool," Adrien said, eyes closed. "Send me a picture or something."

Not a moment later, his message stream was bombarded with photos of skateboards, taking him aback.

He stared at them with wide eyes, surprised by his girlfriend's eagerness. His eyes narrowed suddenly. _Are the boards amazing, or is_ he _amazing?_ Adrien thought idly.

He rubbed a hand over his face, groaning. _I'm too tired for this._

"Those boards are pretty sweet, babe, but I need to go to bed now," he said.

"Oh," she frowned slightly. "Well, have a good night. I'll call you tomorrow."

He gave her a sidelong smile, ending the call.

He was brushing his teeth a few minutes later when he pinpointed the little hole in his chest.

She hadn't blown him a kiss.

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 **Author's Note** : DUN DUN DUNNNNNNNNN (evil doom music playing). The plot thickens and the thick plottens…

As always, commentary and feedback is appreciated!


	4. Chapter 4

The conversation had started out neatly enough. They chatted about normal things – how Marinette's meetings for that day had gone, how boring work was for Adrien now that his 'love bug' had abandoned him…

But then she'd brought up Nathanael, mentioning the lunch outing they'd had earlier in the day, the parks they'd visited while eating ice cream.

And that had set a time bomb off.

" _What is with Nathanael?_ " Adrien screeched. "He's all you talk about now!"

Marinette looked taken aback, eyes wide with concern. "Adrien…I don't…" She trailed off, eyes looking off-screen. Her moment of bliss came to a screeching halt, the acidity in his tone startling her.

Her eyes flickered back at him to stare a moment longer, mouth slightly parted, taking in his scrunched features, darkened with anger.

Her countenance shifted, a stone mask of neutrality on her face. "Nathanael and I are old friends, and I'm happy to see him," she stated quietly, albeit a bit stiffly.

"Just _friends_?" Adrien practically sneered, tone icy.

"What is _with_ you?" Marinette looked at him in disbelief, erupting with her own anger, and blushing at his insinuation. "Why can't you be happy for me like a normal person! I haven't seen him in _years_!"

"Yeah, and I'm sure that now you're _together_ you'll make up for all that lost time," he snapped, hands fisting in front of him. "Consider my offer to move in _revoked_ ," he hissed, ending the call with a scathing glare.

Marinette gaped at the black screen, the words on her tongue dying. Her reflection was staring back at her, shock petrifying her features.

 _We're not together_ , she'd wanted to say.

 _But…_ a voice in the back of her head prodded her. _That's not what it looks like._

 _Not what it looks like? What what looks like?_ Her thoughts were spinning in circles around her.

 _What is 'it'? There is no 'it'…_

 _No 'it' with Nathanel, that is…_

 _And no 'it' with Adrien either_ , she thought numbly.

And then she burst into tears, hands fisting in the sheets around her.

Little did she know that in Paris, thousands of miles away, a young man was heaving with tears in a similar way, the pouring rain soaking into his very soul.

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 **Author's Note** : I deeply apologize if things look like they are moving too quickly (and that this chapter is so short) – that is because I really need to finish this story because I can't focus on any one of my stories when there are more than three…again, I humbly apologize. I thought speeding it up would be better than deleting it all together K

As always, feedback is appreciated!


	5. Chapter 5

_Marinette_

"Mom, I need you to go pick up my stuff from Adrien's. He'll let you up." Marinette stated stiffly, voice monotone.

"Why?" Her mother asked, tone soft over the phone.

Static.

"Sweetie what happened-" her mother started.

"-I'll tell you when I get back," Marinette interjected, hanging up roughly.

Sabine looked over to Tom, worry creasing her brow.

"Something happened between Adrien and Marinette" she said hollowly. Tom looked up from his work, leaving the dough half kneaded, disbelief in his eyes. "I hope they mend whatever it is quickly," he stated. "Is there anything we can do?"

Sabine looked to the window, the pouring rain obscuring the houses across the street. "I don't know…" her brow furrowed, thoughts gathering like storm clouds. "I think this is something they need to work out themselves."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

 _Where had it gone wrong?_ Marinette thought blankly, staring at the equally blank and boring white ceiling of the hotel room.

She was sprawled out on the bed, one hand cushioning her head, as she had been that entire evening, just staring at the ceiling and thinking.

 _And I'd just asked Mama to move my stuff over there so it would be ready when I get back_ , she thought dully. _Well I guess that's just another broken promise_ , she thought bitterly, rolling over to her side.

The wall was just as boring as the ceiling, but the tears were running across her cheeks faster.

She was numb inside, her throat felt tight, and she was having trouble breathing.

Because of Adrien.

Or was it Nathanael?

 _I need to go home_ , she thought. _I can't be here anymore._

It was too painful. And so she slowly got up, her feet feeling miles from her head as she stumbled over to her suitcase.

 _I need to go home now…_

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

If Nathanael was surprised to see Marinette holding a suitcase the next morning, he didn't show it, greeting her with his usual smile.

She didn't return the smile, staring at him blankly, registering his presence too late.

 _What could she say to him?_

"I'm leaving," she finally choked out, schooling her eyes to his sandals.

"This is earlier than I thought," he laughed a bit shakily. "I thought you weren't leaving until-"

"-Mr. Agreste wants me back early," she interrupted, her eyes not meeting his with the lie. "He thinks my assignment is done here."

 _I'm sorry Nathanael._

"Oh," he said it politely enough, but his smile faltered, eyes dimming. "Okay then. So this is goodbye?"

She nodded, not trusting her voice.

"Pity," he turned slightly away from her, grimacing. "I was thinking we could go to the museums today to get a look at the new modern art exhibit." _Like we used to. All those years ago…_

He left that part out.

 _Why would you say that?_

She almost sobbed, but she caught the sniffle, looking away. He didn't know that she was on the edge of bursting into tears.

"Sorry I can't make it," she almost whispered, keeping her head turning away from him. _He couldn't see her like this._

"I have to go now," she stated, more confidently than she felt.

But his hands were on her shoulders and his eyes locked with hers, keeping her from pulling away.

"I'm going to miss you," he breathed, edging closer to her. "I had a good time with you." He opened his mouth again, but closed it, eyes torn. "Visit more often?" He asked softly, pleading with his eyes to look at him.

She finally looked at him, tearing her gaze from the concrete.

"I don't know," she said, eyes switching between his _._ "It might be hard with the job I have, but I'll try."

He broke out into the tiniest of smiles, bringing her closer for a hug. "You know where to find me," he murmured. They stayed there a moment, each reveling in what they both knew were their last moments together for a long time. He pulled away from her, a withdrawn but satisfied look on his face.

"Have a safe trip home," he said, already turning his back on her. _And thank you_ , he thought,

 _for those last few moments together._

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Marinette caught the soonest flight back to Paris, stumbling into the airport with a numbness she couldn't say was from lack of sleep or from something else.

The coffee she was nursing in her hands held some relief, but the cup shook in her hands.

Before long her flight was called, and she boarded quickly, eyes downcast.

She flopped into her seat, headache pounding at the back of her head and a frown painted onto her lips. She closed her eyes, the light bothering her throbbing head.

 _What could she do?_

"-arinette. _Marinette_." A voice interrupted her thoughts, and she blinked open her eyes.

She recognized the woman who had spoken instantly. "Alya?" She questioned softly, her addled brain blurring the woman's features.

"Yeah, girl. The One and Only. How are you? You don't look so good." Alya spoke lightly, but concern laced her brow.

"I'm…" Marinette paused, contemplating what to say. "Not doing so good, actually." She put her head in her hands, closing her eyes again.

"Why don't you come in the back, with me," Alya prompted. "I can get you some fresh coffee and we can talk." _Privately_ , her eyes were saying. She waved her hand at Marinette to follow, scooting down a few aisles to let a boarding passenger past her.

Marinette stood up uncertainly, glancing warily at the passengers around her.

Alya was already a good distance away, so Marinette hurried to keep up on wobbly limbs.

Once in the back, Alya turned to her, arms crossed, one eyebrow raised.

"You're depressed," she stated flatly. Not a question. Not an accusation. Fact.

"I'm not-" Marinette instantly protested.

"Did something happen with Adrien?" Alya cut in. She stared at Marinette a moment longer, pointedly tapping her heel against the carpeted floor.

"We broke up," Marinette shrugged, glancing away. "He's too possessive and he can't deal with me having any friends aside from him."

"I'm a friend." Alya pointed out.

"Yeah but you're a _girl_ ," Marinette groaned, slumping into a make-shift seat built into the wall.

"Ah," Alya gave a wise smile, pouring a steaming cup of black coffee. "So there was another _guy_. Give me the deets, girl."

Marinette gave her an incredulous glare, but accepted the cup of coffee. "This isn't marriage counseling, I've already decided-"

"- _Deets_ ," Alya repeated, hands moving to her hips impatiently.

Marinette sighed, throwing up her hands in surrender.

"He's a guy we went to high school with. The two of us always clicked because we were both artists. I just…passed by him at a skate shop he owns…and then we grabbed lunch to catch up on the past 10 years of our lives," she shrugged.

Alya pursed her lips, nodding slightly. "And it bothers you that Adrien won't 'let you' be friends with this guy?"

"Well yeah," Marinette said. "He's so controlling and…" she trailed off. "Paranoid, I guess."

"He's jealous." Alya interjected. "This mystery guy has known you _longer_ , and was _closer_ to you, so has a leg up on Adrien. Adrien's insecure about your relationship because he has competition."

"Competition," Marinette rolled her eyes. "Oh please, Nathanael is not interested-"

"-are you that blind!" Alya sang incredulously. "That's only what _you_ think," she huffed. "Adrien might be picking up on something you're _not_."

"Like…?" Marinette prompted, curiosity nagging at her.

"The fact that this guy likes you," Alya supplied. "Like, _like likes_ you," she added.

Marinette's eyes blew wider. "Oh no, no no no no. Yeah, we _used_ to date, but that was years-"

"Emotions don't die that easily, Marinette," Alya sighed. "You should know that better than anyone else."

Marinette shut her lips, the truth of Alya's words stinging her. She took a moment to contemplate, opened her mouth and then closed it again. "Oh dear." She said simply. "I've made thing's awkward." _And this is my fault._

"Yeah," Alya nodded, eyes narrowed. "You're awkward. And now you've made it awkward for Adrien, because _he knows_."

Horror seemed to dawn on her. "Oh my god I had no idea!" She rose hysterically.

"Yeah, you're rather oblivious," Alya agreed.

"This is all my fault," Marinette's hands flew to her face.  
"Bingo!" Alya interjected. "So what are you going to do to fix it?" She prompted, one eyebrow raised.

"Call him?" Marinette asked, uncertainty lacing her voice.

Alya's elated expression faltered, hands dropping from her hips. "Well, I suppose if he picks up…"

Adrien didn't pick up.

"It's a typical moody guy thing," Alya reassured her, one hand on Marinette's shoulder. Marinette's head was in her hands, repeatedly pounding her head against her knees. "Just go visit him in person when we land."

"Oh, okay," Marinette blubbered, voice wobbling ever so slightly. "Because that's so _easy,_ " she said sarcastically. "Adrien doesn't want to see me!" She practically shrieked.

"That's what you think," Alya said. "But I know that he wants to see you."

"How do you know?" Marinette mumbled from her lap, voice muffled from her clothing.

"I just know," Alya smirked.

Marinette looked up at her friend, still shaken from having to call Adrien's number. Granted, he hadn't answered, but she was somewhat relieved that he hadn't. She had no idea what to say.

"Wait," she suddenly burst. "Visit him in person?" She shrieked, Alya's demand suddenly making its way to her mind.

"Yeah," Alya said, not turning around from where she was making _another_ pot of coffee. God maybe she was giving her _too much_ caffeine, if that was such a thing.

Alya made it sound so _easy_.

"H-how?!" Marinette shrieked, hands raking at her cheeks.

"Uh, well you know where he lives? Just walk up to his door and-"

"But Alya I'm a total mess!" Marinette screamed, hands waving over her disheveled form for emphasis. "And I have no idea what to say to him!"

Alya twisted back on her heel to face Marinette, a hard look on her face. "We'll work on that," she smirked, the steaming pot of coffee in hand. "But first, coffee."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

 _Adrien_

He didn't know what he was waiting for.

A text?

A phone call?

A screaming owl that would tear off his ears?

Silence forevermore?

Adrien groaned, rolling onto his face. He'd declined her call too quickly – he _knew_ she knew. And he was regretting it now. He wanted to hear her voice.

Adrien rolled over onto his side, catching sight of his bedside clock. It was past noon, but he couldn't bring himself to get out of bed. Screw the meeting. Screw work. Screw the world. They could deal without him.

He knew he was moping. Depressed. Pining. Hoping…

So why was he so surprised when he heard a knock on his door? Why were his hands suddenly trembling? Why were his breaths coming raggedly, and his feet slipping over the tile floor?

How had he known, deep in his heart, that she would come?

He'd known…all along.

And there she was, dark rings under her eyes, lips slightly parted, staring at him with wide blue eyes.

"Adrien," she started, voice cracking slightly. She paused, eyes shifting, swallowing.

There was still some part of him that was overjoyed to see her in person – glad that she was safe.

But the smile that used to rise to his lips was repressed, and the flutter in his chest caged, replaced by an ache and a small frown on his face.

"What are you doing here?" He asked simply, tone uninviting, trying to keep his emotions repressed. Little did she know how much he wanted to take his words back – to catch them all and swallow them whole. To hold her in his arms again. To say sorry.

She fidgeted, eyes downcast. "I made a mistake, and I lost your trust. But there was a misunderstanding-"

"There was no misunderstanding," he interjected, eyes dark. He had to stay strong.

"But-" she fumbled for words, eyes roving over his masked expression. She huffed, hands clenching at her sides.

"Nathanael is just a friend," she said with determination. "We've always been friends, and if you can't respect or understand our relationship, then…" she clenched her lips together. "Then we really are through."

Adrien's lips pressed into a hard line, ice piercing his heart.

He heaved a heavy sigh. "Then we're through."

Her eyes blew wide in disbelief, hands dropping limply to her sides. "When the fuck did you get so closed-minded?" She suddenly burst, stepping forwards to grip his shirt.

He took a step back, alarmed by her proximity, some residual and sickening desire welling up inside of him.

"I did not cheat," she hissed at him, eyes piercing him like ice shards. "You made that up in your head because you were jealous."

He looked taken aback for a moment, eyes narrowing in disbelief. "You can't expect me to believe you when you-"

"Nathanael is a friend!" She screamed. "A _friend!_ "

Adrien pinched his lips together, the fury radiating off the small woman in front of him chipping at his resolve.

He swallowed slowly, back pressed against a wall. "So you're telling me, you didn't-"

"No!" She practically screamed. "Why would I, Adrien? Why?"  
"Because," he started, then stopped. "I don't know." His eyes dropped to the floor, to her shoes. They had black spots on them.

"People cheat if they're bored." Marinette said simply. "Or if they don't love their partner."

Adrien looked up at her, catching the ferocity in her eye.

"So which is it?" He asked simply, a sense of cold creeping into his heart.

"Neither," she bit out, eyes narrowing. "Why else would I be here?"

Adrien stared at her, cheeks rosy. "So…" he started, the pieces starting to click together.

"Yes." She said simply, looking into his eyes squarely. "I love you."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

She could have shattered him – like glass. The slightest wind would have blown him away. His mouth hung open, aghast, staring at Marinette blankly in disbelief.

"How – when-" he started, then faltered. He took a step forwards, taking her shoulders to steady his own shaking body. He swallowed, looking into her eyes. "Really?"

She smiled slightly, walking into his touch. "Yes."

It was all he needed. He swooped down to kiss her, their touches lingering and hesitant, but they grew to be familiar once more, intimate.

"I'm glad you're back," Adrien breathed. "As much as I cherish trips and the great things that come from them, this was the worst."

"You didn't even go anywhere," Marinette snickered.

"I went on an emotional rollercoaster," Adrien sighed dramatically. "One that I don't ever want to go on again."

"Oh, you drama queen," Marinette slapped Adrien's shoulder playfully, taking a step back from him. "You didn't answer my question though," her eyelashes lowered.

"What question?" Adrien asked, confusion wrinkling his brow.

"You know what question," she smirked, sidling up to him. " _Mi amore_."

His face erupted into a blush. "Ah…well. I fear the timing is inappropriate so-"

"-I'll show you inappropriate," Marinette took him by the collar, smashing their lips together.

Adrien pulled back after an infinite amount of time, gasping. "My God. I _do_ love you," he panted, leaning into her smile for more. "And that," he breathed, "is you answer."

She hummed, pulling back from him. "Oh, you have to _prove_ it, though," she gave him a wicked smile. " _I_ came all the way across the world."  
"Prove?" he said painfully. "How?"

She smiled triumphantly. "I have a way in mind."

"Oh, do tell," Adrien sighed, grabbing her around the waist.

"I think we should take a trip to California," she said sweetly, watching the merriment drain out of Adrien's flushed face. "And meet Nathanael."

"Are you serious?" He asked slowly.

"Completely," she said. "Are you up for it?"

Adrien's eyes narrowed, his arm snaking around Marinette's back. He kissed her neck sweetly, loving how her eyes rolled back. "Ah, the things we do for love," he sighed.

"Oh stop whining. I know you want to go to California. Who doesn't?" She smirked at her boyfriend, giving him a chaste kiss.

"We have some catching up to do beforehand though…" Adrien's eyes lowered from Marinette's neck, and he caught her blushing.  
"Perhaps we do," she panted, leaning into his touch. "Perhaps we do…"

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

 **Author's Note:** Alright! I decided to make this the last chapter and just wrap it all up here! Thank you for the people who have stuck around! I didn't think I would finish this story but I am happy to say that this is complete! Thank you!


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